Now that more than 5 billion people worldwide have a cell phone, mobile technology sits poised to revolutionize the way medical care and health information are delivered, particularly in the developing world. A number of efforts are under way to leverage mobile technology's tools to align with pressing health priorities through a field called mobile health (mHealth).

“Wireless has leapfrogged wired services in much of the world, and it provides an opportunity to connect providers, patients, and communities in ways not previously possible,” said Wendy Nilsen, PhD, who leads the National Institutes of Health's Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research in the area of mobile health.